


poolside

by watergator



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Blood, M/M, Murder, Survival Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-11-29 11:55:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18222827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watergator/pseuds/watergator
Summary: dan and phil are teenagers that escape the town for one night alone at the local pool. they have a few ideas of what could happen there, but neither of them are prepared for what actually happens.





	poolside

“This is a really stupid idea.”

Dan ignores the other boy as he hops over the chain link fence, the bottom of his shoes hitting the pavement with a thud.

He stands up straight and looks at the other boy on the other side of the fence with a grin.

“Don’t be a chicken, Phil,” he teases.

Phil makes a face at him before grabbing onto the short fence and making the climb. His foot slips a little and Dan has to stifle a laugh.

Once Phil’s over the fence and down on the other side Phil’s making another face at him.

“Don’t be so sour,” Dan teases him lightly, making Phil’s expression soften into a small hiding smile.

“You said you wanted to get away from the noise so, here we are,” he spins around on his heels to take a look at the pool.

It’s way past opening time; the sun long gone from the sky and the rest of the town too busy with the yearly summer carnival that they’d just escaped to to notice or care for two teenage boys sneaking off to go midnight swimming.

Although, Phil isn’t looking too keen.

“What is we get caught?” He whispers, like he’s already afraid of someone catching them.

Dan doesn’t reply, and instead pulls his shirt up off of his head.

Phil rolls his eyes at him.

“C’mon you big baby. A little water won’t hurt,” Dan smiles and Phil eventually takes off his own shirt.

Dan peels off his jeans and Phil does the same, until their stood standing in the dark in just their pants.

Not that it would be the first time, but if someone were to catch them, it’d be a bit tricky for them to explain why two boys were caught at the pool half naked together.

That’s what he guesses Phil is afraid of.

He reaches out in the dark and takes his hands. He can just make out his face here; the blue of his eyes, the freckles dotted across his nose and the ginger of his hair that shines under the moon slightly.

That, and the worried lip he has chewed between his teeth.

“Hey, nobody’s gonna find us out here,” Dan says softly, moving towards him. “We’re safe out here, yeah?”

Phil nods and moves in closer, with a silent agreement and permission for Dan to move his head towards his and place a delicate kiss against his lips.

They let it linger for as long as they can, it’s not often they get a chance to properly kiss like this. Not out in the open anyways.

But with everyone on the other end of town, if feels safe here.

They pull away and Dan swears he hears Phil make a little grunt of disappointment. He’s about to tease him for it, but instead walks backwards, yanking Phil by the hands.

“Come on. No use breaking into the pool if we don’t actually use it.”

Phil hums, clearly distracted now but follows him anyways. Dan takes a look at the dark rippling water beneath his toes.

It looks a little scarier at night; so much more different than the long summer days he’s spent here before, when the water looks warm and blue. But before he can think too much about it, there’s hands on his back, shoving him in with a cruel laugh.

He lets out a shriek as he hits cold water, splashing around a bit before he stills, and hears the giggles from the boy above him.

“That was too easy,” Phil laughs and Dan pouts angrily at him.

“Mean.” He comments. “Get in here, you dick.”

Phil crosses his arms over his chest and raises a brow at him.

“Are you calling me a dick or are you talking to my dick?” He asks cockily.

Dan feels his face flush a little, glad that Phil might not be able to see it so well in the dark. He’s had a whole summer with Phil, playfully flirting, quick wanks together and secret blowjobs, but Phil’s sudden dirty mouth always seems to catch him off guard at times.

“Just get in here, twat.” Dan mutters and he hears Phil laugh again before he’s jumping in with a quick splash beside him.

When he resurfaces, he lets out a shocked gasp.

“Oh. That’s colder than I thought.”

Dan snorts at him. “Better get your laps in then, hm?”

Phil gives him a little splash. “I didn’t come here to exercise, excuse you.”

Dan splashes him back. “What did you come here for then?”

Phil moves towards him, water rippling away from them in soft translucent circles.

“I came here to escape with my secret boyfriend.”

His voice is a low whisper but it sends shivers down Dan’s skin despite the icy water.

The word boyfriend still sounds so strange to him - the best kind of strange. And hearing it leave Phil’s mouth in regards to Dan himself make him feel all squeezy on the inside.

He scoffs and rolls his eyes and splashes Phil again, harder this time.

“That’s so gross. You’re so gross.”

Phil splutters and runs a hand over his now wet face, leaving a grin. He sticks his tongue out playfully before ducking under and Dan quickly follows him.

He opens his eyes, not that he can see much in the dark; instead just a blurred squiggly line of the boy in front of him, when he reaches his arms out and finds his hands.

When they resurface, Dan doesn’t have enough time to catch his breath before he’s being kissed again, this time a little harder and deeper and Dan moans into it.

They stand there kissing, when Phil hands find the back of his head, threading his fingers through wet strands of hair, pulling him impossibly closer.

Phil lets out a little moan and Dan swallows it with his mouth, slipping his tongue inside his mouth and feeling about.

Bodies pressed together, Dan hardly feels cold anymore. It’s like his whole body is hot and on fire and he wants more and more.

So he pushes Phil, easy with the weightlessness of the water and Phil happily obliges. When Dan motions to him for the wall, Phil takes the hint and hops up, water dripping from his body onto the concrete.

Now that Phil is above him, a little too high to kiss on the mouth, Dan makes do, and instead he attaches his lips to a nipple, grinning against it when he feels Phil arch his back and let out a louder moan.

“Fuck,” Phil swears breathlessly and Dan does it again to gage the same reaction.

When Dan moves onto the other nipple, sucking and biting at it, Phil’s making needy little noises from the back of his throat, eventually pushing Dan away with little conviction that he actually wants this to stop for a moment.

Dan kisses at his chest, against the small hair that’s sprouted there.

“What?” He mumbles against wet, warm skin.

Phil kisses the top of his head against wet curls.

“I wanted to tell you,” Phil says in a breath, sounding like he’s just done about thirty laps.

“Wanted to tell you that you’re really good at that.”

Dan snorts a laugh. “And you stopped me?”

Phil hums, not really caring for Dan’s teasing right now, threading his fingers gently through his hair and kicking his legs out in the water with tiny splashes.

“I wanna take you on a date tomorrow. A real date. Phil whispers.

Dan feels his chest tighten. In the summer of knowing Phil there haven’t been any real dates, for obvious reasons, but sometimes it’s nice to talk and imagine like that could be a reality.

“Yeah?” Dan says quietly as he presses a gentle kiss against his nipple and Phil leans into it slightly.

“Yeah. Wanted to ask you out. Maybe the movies?”

Dan leaves another kiss on the opposite nipple.

“What kind of movie?” He mumbles against it.

Phil lets out a small whine before recollecting himself.

“Dunno. There’s that new movie out with Michael J Fox,” he suggests quietly. “The one with the werewolves?”

Dan moves away from his chest to look up and him and laugh.

“You just have a horrible crush on him,” he smirks and despite the dark, Dan still sees the blush creep across his face.

“Shut up,” Phil pouts.

But Dan doesn’t, instead wraps his arms around the softness of Phil’s waist.

“You just wanna get your kicks from shirtless guys.”

Phil laughs at him. “And?”

Dan reaches up to kiss him quick on the lips. “And, I happen to be a shirtless guy.”

When Phil pulls away he has a frown on his face.

“So what you’re saying is you don’t fancy a date?” He asks, sounding slightly worried.

Dan frowns back at him, holding his hips with his hands, giving them a quick squeeze.

“Of course I do,” he whispers to him in a kind voice. “I was just being a git.”

Phil’s frown relaxes into a small smile. “Yeah?”

Dan nods, “Yeah.”

Phil’s eyes flicker over him. “And you’re not gonna tease me for being a romantic… sap, or anything?”

Dan smirks. “Can’t promise that. You are horrifically sappy at times.”

Phil frowns again but laughs anyways. “Am not.”

Dan runs a hand up his bare leg, “You so are. I’m just waiting for the mixtape you’ve made me,” he jokes, but he goes still when he sees Phil’s face freeze.

“You didn’t make me a mixtape, did you?” He asks gently, only for Phil to duck his head down and hide in Dan’s curl.

Dan lets out a loud laugh, wheezing when Phil pulls away with sad eyes and a pout.

“Phil, you’re actually the biggest idiot ever,” Dan says through a laugh.

Phil just hides his face in his hands, before Dan gently peels them away.

“Let me guess. Whitney Houston. Saving All My Love For You?”

Phil confirms it with a groan and pushes Dan away slightly.

Dan wobbles in the water before regaining his balance, moving back between Phil’s legs.

“I’m not an idiot,” Phil whispers as he wraps his arms around the back of Dan’s neck, pulling him in.

Dan kisses his chest again, slow and sweet.

“Yeah, you are,” he mumbles against his skin. “My idiot.”

Phil lets out a laugh through his nose and Dan ends up where he was moments ago; kissing and pulling at two tight nipples until Phil is squirming against him.

Large hands trace down the pudge of Phil’s hops, until the land on the top of his boxer shorts. Long skilled fingers dip beneath the waist, and he’s about to finally get his hands (and hopefully his mouth) on what he’s been waiting for, when Phil pushes him away yet again.

Dan scoffs again, and is about to playfully complain about blue balls when Phil is pressing a finger to his lips.

“What’s wrong?” Dan mumbles against his lip but Phil has his head turned towards the other side of the pool; there’s a small hut along with the main gate that people usually use, and his focus is fixated on it.

“Phil -“ Dan starts in a low voice but Phil cuts him off with a hand slapped over his mouth, looking back at Dan with worried eyes.

“I think somebody’s here,” he whispers, voice cracks with concern and Dan is about to protest about him being paranoid when he hears the sound of a car engine and a faint flash of headlight.

  
“Shit,” Dan mutters and quickly pulls Phil in with him, giving a little yelp as the water hits his body once more.   
  
“What’re you doing?” Phil whispers harshly but this time it’s Dan that holds his palm against Phil’s mouth.   
  
Phil frowns at him silently.   
  
“We’re hiding,” Dan grins with a whisper.   
  
He hears the squeak of the gate open and as Phil’s eyes blow wide Dan grins a sly smile and ducks under the water with a sharp exhale and Phil’s soon following.   
  
Under the water this close to each other, Dan can see Phil a little more clearer. His cheeks are puffed up as he holds his breath and his eyes look wide and shocked.   
  
Dan has to hold back a grin, keeping his lips sealed shut and Phil simply shakes his head at him in disbelief.   
  
When it becomes clear that neither of them have enough air in their lungs to stay hidden underneath the water, Dan nods at Phil and Phil nods back in an understanding as they slowly go back up to the surface, trying their best to not make too much noise.   
  
Dan’s face breaches the surface, Phil following behind him, and the cool night air hits his skin as he takes in a silent gulp of oxygen.   
  
They stay close to the wall, probably hidden enough in the dark shadows of the rippling black water, out here at the far end of the pool, and Dan does his best to squint to see any movement up ahead where they heard clattering about.   
  
Chances are, it’s just a maintenance worker coming back to pick something out of the little hut that holds a seating area and a ticket stand and things like pool floaties and such for little kids.   
  
Dan feels Phil reach out from behind him and grasp his hand underneath the water where it feels warmer now.   
  
Dan lets out a breath. He doesn’t particularly want to be caught out here, not with Phil - a boy, so he presses his back up against the side of the pool where his skin scratches against the tiles, right beside Phil.   
  
“We’ll wait it out. He can’t be staying long,” Dan whispers to him. Phil nods with a gulp.   
  
“It’s alright,” Dan assures him with a confident smile. “It’s just the janitor.”   
  
Phil has a crease in his brow, not looking too convinced. He looks past Dan, where the hut is.   
  
“Did you see him?” he asks quietly. Dan shakes his head.    
  
“I think there’s a truck up ahead,” he looks back at where he can see the red chipped pick up truck just beyond the fence, parked on the side of the stretch of road, lights still on.   
  
“Engine’s running so he’ll be gone soon.”   
  
Phil nods, squeezing Dan’s hand, and Dan feels his chest go funny again. It feels daring, doing something scary like this with Phil. Almost thrilling in a way; that is, if they don’t get caught.   
  
Dan turns his head again, away from Phil to take another small look at what’s happening. The truck still hums quietly as the engine runs, and just through a couple of trees that obscure his vision, he can make out a shadowy figure.   
  
He’s not sure why, but the dark image of somebody in the dark, seemingly rummaging in the back of his truck makes his stomach sudden plumet.   
  
He reminds himself of his stupid fear of the dark - that his brain is suddenly trying to scare him of nothing, and swallows thickly as he keeps his eye on the man that still, has his head in the backseat of his truck.   
  
“Is he leaving?” Phil whispers in his ear, and when Dan turns to face him, he notices he’s moved a little closer towards him; shoulders pressed tightly against each other.   
  
Dan nods, “Think so.”    
  
But he looks again, just to be sure, but then suddenly, his stomach swoops and his mouth runs dry and he feels his heart stop for a moment.   
  
Just through the trees, through the chain link fence, he can make out the figure. There, he stands, pulling a large lump out the backseat, until it rests in his arms.   
  
Normally, Dan would once again put it down to an overactive imagination and laugh it off weakly. But his opinion is swayed when the lump suddenly has a very limp looking arm dangling from it.   
  
Phil, clearly unable to see, is whispering again, a little louder this time.   
  
“He’s gone?”   
  
Dan can’t even look back at him. He can’t even move anymore. His heart doesn’t seem to be working inside his chest and he’s not even sure any part of him is functioning anymore.   
  
“Phil,” he whispers weakly, eyes trained so hard on the figure that now moves slowly towards the gate again.   
  
“Phil, we need to fucking leave. Now.”   
  
He hears Phil move a little, the water rippling and Dan’s about to tell him to stay still - to just be quiet, when the man moves through the gate, dropping the body with a heavy, wet thud.   
  
Phil goes very still, very quickly. “What was that?”    
  
Dan shrinks slightly against the wall, all confidence that they’re remaining hidden starting to lessen and less rather fast, and he pulls Phil down a little as well.   
  
He watches him leave again, returning to his car.   
  
“Dan,” Phil whispers sharply, sounding as scared as Dan feels. “Dan what actually was that?”   
  
Dan doesn’t reply - he’s not sure what to even say. But instead, Phil stands up a little, looking over Dan’s head, Dan can’t even find the brain power to tug him back down, when Phil quickly dips back down again, his breaths coming out fast.   
  
“That’s a body,” he says quickly, eyes wide and face looking pale. “Dan. Somebody is hurt, we need to-”   
  
He’s cut off with a slam, sounding like a car door, and when Dan looks back round, he sees the same figure, this time, with another body shaped lump.   
  
He struggles with this one, just slightly, before going through the gate and once again, letting the body roll out of his arms onto the floor beside the other.   
  
Dan can feel his heart race inside his chest. It feels so hard, slamming against his ribs, he fears somebody might be able to hear it.   


He can hear the echo of footsteps against the concrete floor, and by now it sounds like whoever it is, is close to the hut.He can hear a jingle of what sounds like keys, not offering him any comfort in hopes that it could just be a pool worker, and then, the squeak of the door opening and shutting behind him.

They need to get the hell out of here, Dan thinks suddenly.

He faces Phil who looks pale and sick with horror.

“There’s… two,” he whispers with a voice in disbelief. Dan, rather cruelly finds himself not to spare a moment for the two people who appear to be victims, but simply wants to just get out.

“We have to get out of here,” Dan whispers to him, eyes gazing into panicked blue one.

Phil goes to say something but his mouth just hangs open, like his brain hasn’t fully caught up.

Eventually, he’s says:

“There’s two bodies, Dan.”

Dan feels his skin go cold now; the water doesn’t feel as inviting as it once did. He grabs holds of Phil’s bare shoulders and holds on.

“I know,” Dan says slowly. “And if we stay, there’ll be another two. Lets just go,” he says.

“Please.”

His voice cracks and it’s like panic has finally settled into him fully. His flight or fight response in his brain is whirring around like a fan and every inch of him is screaming at him to jump up and just make a break for it. But with the only escape being a gate that’s far too close to the hut and the bodies, they’ll have to get out the same way they got in.

Over the shaky old chain fence.

Dan peers over at the hut. A light is on now, very faint, and he can hear movement inside, almost like their looking for something, and Dan takes a quick look at the pile of clothes that lay beside the fence, hidden nicely by a large shadow, thankfully not drawing any suspicions.

He takes another quick check, and he’s sure his sudden bravado is coming from what probably is adrenaline. That, and the fact that he’s purposely ignoring the two strewn bodies on the floor.

“Get out, be quiet, fuck our clothes and lets just go.” Dan whispers to him, like it’s easy.

There’s a phone box just at the end of this road - nothing more than just a stretch of tarmac with surrounding trees and woods - and if they hop the fence and make a break for it, they’ll make a quick call to the cops, before legging it back to town where it’ll be safe.

Hopefully.

Phil still has that wide eyed look about him and Dan has to grip his shoulders a little tighter to make himself heard.

“Phil? Are you hearing me?” He whispers carefully.

Phil nods, unspeaking.

Dan glances again at the hut, feeling sick to his stomach.

“Let’s go then.”

He’s about to make a move for the side of the pool and hoist himself up when he hears the squeak of the door again and he ducks under frantically squishing himself up against Phil, who he can feel shake.

It’s quiet for a moment, quiet enough to feel scared, and then Dan hears a grunt, and something being pulled against the floor.

It doesn’t take long for it to register in Dan’s mind that it’s probably the sound of a body being dragged along.

He shuts his eyes and presses himself against Phil where he’s squished up against the side of the pool wall.

His hand automatically finds Phil’s once it’s slipped from its vice like grip on his shoulder, and Phil locks his fingers in with Dan’s and squeezes.

He can hear more movement, but it offers nothing to him when he can’t see.

Then, he hears the swinging of the gate again and footsteps that trail away.

Dan opens his eyes gingerly, only to see Phil also has his eyes closed too.

Dan peers slowly over the top of Phil’s head to see the man, simply a silhouette still, walk away from the pool, until his slips away between two large trees where a small woods begins.

Dan lets out a shaky breath.

“Get out. He’s gone,” he says quickly as he shoves Phil, eyes flying open.

He’s not sure what time they have - but he’s pushing and shoving Phil with every strength he has to get themselves out the pool.

Phil hoists himself up and Dan follows with a small struggle. His arms feel weak and his body is shaking but once Phil is up and out of the water he’s grabbing for Dan and hauling him up with a strength neither of them knew they possessed.

“The gate,” Dan whispers. “Get to the gate.”

They look towards the tall chain gate. The bodies are gone, and instead, something dark and wet glistens under the moon where they once lay.

Dan’s stomach flips at the idea of what it could be.

Phil grabs Dan’s hand and they make quick steps towards the gate. Dan’s heart thumps with each barefoot step he takes.

They get to the gate, and Phil’s reaching an arm out to push it forwards when it stays still.

“It’s locked,” Phil whispers, voice heavy in disappointment.

Dan’s heart sinks. Not before it gets quick again as he looks at the woods again. There’s not enough time to be standing around.

“Climb over again, yeah?” He says quickly, looking at Phil’s face.

Phil nods quickly as they grab the fence and pull themselves up.

It seems that trying to climb a fence with barefoot and wet feet and hands proves difficult as the slip and fail to grab on or get their footing.

“We need our shoes,” Phil whispers to him, and Dan quickly pulls him along to where they left their clothes at the other side.

It feels like sweet relief when they get there, like Dan’s old tattered and discarded trainers are his saviour, but just as he’s about to shove his cold wet feet into them, he hears a noise.

He goes still. Heart thumping in his chest.

“Phil,” he whispers, straining his ears for any noise.

Phil’s struggling with his shoes, breaths coming out ragged and sharp.

“Phil, forget the fucking shoes,” Dan whispers to him harshly as Phil kicks them off.

Dan looks towards the darkened woods, heart feeling like it might explode.

“I’ll boost you up, okay?”

Phil looks at him for a moment before nodding, and Dan’s, holding his hands out for Phil to step into.

Somehow, with the power of adrenaline still pumping through him, Dan launches Phil up. He flies over the top of the fence, letting out a squeak before landing with a heavy thud on the soft grass below him.

Dan watches him, letting out a heavy breath when he gets up fine.

“You okay?” Dan asks and Phil nods, looking a little breathless.

“Yeah,” he breathes. “Hurry up and get out, yeah?”

Dan nods, swallowing dryly as his eyes keep being pulled back towards the little wooded area.

He tries to climb again but it’s too wet and slippery now, and with nobody to throw him over, there’s no way he’s getting out over the fence.

“I can’t climb it,” Dan says helplessly. He can feel tears of frustration spring to his eyes as he looks at Phil through the gaps of the fence.

Phil looks at him brokenly. “Dan-“

Dan lets out a sob. He wants to get out now. It doesn’t feel daring, or fun or silly anymore.

He wants to get the fuck out of this pool with the knowledge that he’s leaving two bodies behind and that the woods is where he needs to be keeping an eye on by his vision is blurred by tears.

Phil is panicking too. “I’m gonna… I’m gonna try and open the gate, yeah?” he tries but Dan barely registers what he’s saying, and once Phil moves away Dan reaches his fingers through the fence.

“No!” he says a little to loudly, sniffing wetly.

“Don’t go,” he pleads. “I can climb it.”

He tries again, and Phil’s trying to encourage him to get his foot through the gap and haul himself up, but even with adrenaline, his toes get crushed in the gap and it’s not enough to get him to make the few climbs upwards to get over.

Dan ends up standing back on the floor again, shivering a little as fat tears dribble from his eyes. Phil’s got worry etched all over his face. At least he was able to get Phil over, he supposes.

Phil looks like he’s about to say something, opening his mouth to maybe suggest something else, but his eyes pop wide, mouth hangs open and every colour from his skin seems to drain and once Dan has realised what it could possibly mean, Phil lets out a blood curdling scream of his name that has Dan turning on his heels.

There, just a few feet away, stands the same man before. He’s tall, towering over Dan’s six foot height, and his face is covered with some crappy old Halloween mask, hooded by what looks like he’s dressed down in black shadowy clothes..

But that’s not what catches Dan’s attention. It’s the arm raised, with a fist curled around what seems to be a large kitchen knife; the same kind Dan would find his mother cutting vegetables with, and it’s like everything moves in slow motion as the man brings his arm down, and Dan manages to duck away.

He can still hear the echoes of Phil’s scream in his head, now calling his name with utmost fear in his voice as Dan scrambles away on shaky legs.

The man wastes no time for Dan to regain himself as he lunges again with a swiping arm.

Dan forces himself to move as he lets out a sharp gasp, legs flailing and arms flapping as he flies backwards.

It’s like he’s been removed from the world: just him and this psychopath as his ears ring and the rest of the world fades away. Even Phil.

He can hear his own wheezy breaths as he continues stumbling around the pool.

He slips a few times and his heart seems lodged in his throat with each unsteady step.

The man, seemingly calm, continues his way towards him.

It’s not until Dan’s made a full lap around the pool that it hits him that he’s about to die.

He lets out a wretched sob, face crumpling up in anger. He wants to feel more than just fear before he’s about to be murdered; wants to feel every punch of emotion he has left before it’s all taken away for good.

Everything but fear. He won’t let this fucking lunatic have that.

He screams at him, loud enough to make his throat run sore, and tears streak down his cheeks. He won’t go out of this world fighting, that’s for sure, especially up against somebody swinging a knife at him, but he can damn try.

He gives a final scream, standing his ground and the man simply stares at him, face hidden and posture tall.

In three seconds, everything is quiet and still. The man holds down his knife and stands there.

In three seconds, Dan hears his own blood pumping in his head, taking note that it may be the last time that happens inside his body. One final go around of his blood before it’ll end up all over the floor he stands on.

Three seconds for him to think about his mum, his dad, his brother, his grandma, Phil, of course, and three seconds to suck in what could be the last breath of fresh air he’ll taste.

Three seconds for him to feel like he’s ready to be murdered. Three seconds to let his body relax, and for it to accept his cruel fate.

But that doesn’t happen.

What happens, is his head turns when he hears the rumbling of a growing engine hurtle towards them, and for a second they’re both stood, confused before they’re a flash of headlights and Dan hears the loud, scream coming from inside the truck that flies towards them.

Three seconds, and Dan’s jumping out the way of the pick up truck that smashes through the gate.

The gate bends and breaks around it with a groan and the truck comes to a sudden stop, and when Dan lands on his ass, he looks up to see Phil stumble out the door.

Dan looks at where the man was stood, right where the truck had hit him.

His head feels fuzzy as he stares at the man on the floor, and it takes three calls of his name to snap out of whatever trance he’d fallen into.

“Dan! Come on, get up!” Phil’s shouting out to him, voice wobbly and strained, pleading with him, and when he sees him peering out from the door of the truck, Dan scrambles to his feet.

It feels like a heavy weight off his shoulders when he’s clambering over the broken fence and reaching Phil who grabs him and pulls him in tight.

He’s shaking, crying even, and Dan sobs into his shoulders.

“You’re okay,” Phil mutters against his skin over and over again. Dan doesn’t want to let go, wants to hold him and purely exist just here, the two of them.

They eventually pull away and when the do, Phil notions for him to get in the truck.

Without taking a second look towards where the pool is, Dan hops in, Phil shuffles over to the other side and lets Dan take the driver's seat.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Dan says as he slams the door shut and puts it into gear.

He goes to reverse, looking out at the still water where the headlights reach across it. In the light, he can see the puddle of blood he couldn’t see before, with footprints printed across it, scattered around in uneven patterns around the pool.

He hadn’t even realised he’d stepped in it, in his scramble to get away.

He hears Phil sniff, and he pushes the pedal, desperate now to get away, especially since they’re this close, but as he hits the gas, the car neither moves backwards nor forwards, instead the wheels makes a grinding noise and the engine runs with a stutter.

“Dan, fucking drive!” Phil’s near screaming now and Dan’s still pushing the pedal to the floor, no avail to the truck actually moving.   
  
Dan looks out the window in the dim light, to see the mangled fence caught up beneath the tires, where they continue to spin with a sound of struggle.   
  
Tears spring to Dan’s eyes as he tries again, but alas, they’re stuck facing the pool as the tires fail to get them going.   
  
“Dan!” Phil cries again, and he’s sobbing now. Dan’s about to face him, maybe tell him to quit yelling out of just pure panic and stress, but he looks out the window again and there he is: stood at the car door and Dan screams.   
  
Phil screams too and as Dan steps on the pedal again, he sees the man reach for the car door handle, to which Dan flies at it on quick instinct, grabbing it with all the strength he has.   
  
They struggle between them, Dan’s arms burning as he holds the door towards him, it opens inch by inch and Dan lets out another yell as his arm is being yanked forwards.   
  
“Get out!” Dan’s screaming at Phil, who seems to just be frozen in fear beside him.   
  
The door swings open with a heavy force, clattering against broken fence and Dan scrambles backwards once he’s lost his grip. His arms reach out past Phil and find the handle. The man reaches in towards Dan, arm raised with the knife once again, and Dan pushes the passenger door open with fumbling fingers and shoves Phil out with a twist of his body.   
  
Phil hits the floor with a thud and Dan attempts to jump out after him. His knee smacks against the gearbox and he cries out in pain, but Phil’s already up and reaching through the car for him.   
  
Dan lets out ragged breaths as he attempts to crawl across the seat over the other side, and just as his hand finds Phil, he feels a tug on his bare foot.   
  
He looks back to see the man, tight grip on his left leg and he flails.   
  
“No!” Phil's screams, yanking Dan hard enough to break something. “Let him fucking go!”   
  
Dan struggles in his grip; held both by the man and Phil at each ends, he does his best to crawl towards Phil, but every inch he gets closer, the man yanks him back down where Dan lets out a cry.   
  
He’s losing his grip on Phil’s hand. Phil sweats and pants as he struggles to keep a hold on him and Dan holds on as tight as he can, until the dampness of their palms cause them to slip and suddenly his hand is empty and he’s being pulled back through the car, kicking and screaming.

He hears Phil scream in protest, clambering back into the car when Dan twists his body round to face the guy. He has his knife ready with Dan flopping around on his back, when Dan gives a quick kick of his free leg, getting him right in the face. He feels a satisfying crunch under his foot as the man screams, letting go of Dan’s leg to grab at his injured face.   
  
Dan wastes no time flipping back round to his front and crawling over where Phil grabs him with both arms this time and hauls him through until they’re finally on the other side of the car.   
  
Heavy breaths and shaking bodies they climb over the last of the broken fence.   
  
Dan grabs Phil’s hand, ready to make the run of their lives, when he appears again in front of them. Phil makes a whine of frustration and Dan just wants to scream at him; to give them a fucking break already.   
  
He stands there, blocking their chance to freedom and it tugs at Dan’s chest. He can see the stretch of road clearer now. But the man backs them up again until they’re stumbling backwards towards the pool.   
  
Dan’s feet find the cool wetness beneath them and he cries out. He still has Phil’s hand in his as they walk away from his steady pace towards them.   
  
They reach the front of the car and Dan swallows thickly. He’s looking around for an out, when suddenly a long strip of metal that hangs from the damaged truck’s bent up bumper lays strewn on the floor. His eyes flicker from the metal, to the man, before he lets go of Phil’s hand, ducks underneath, ignoring Phil’s shocked gasp, before he reaches for it and swings, hard.   
  
By luck, it connects with the man's head. He lets out a soft groan before his body crumples to the floor. Phil is left standing staring in shock before Dan takes his hand again. Without words he drags him towards the gate.   
  
The slip on the pool of blood before catching themselves and Dan has a hand on the door, knowing that the keys must be here somewhere.   
  
“Hurry,” Phil whispers desperately, and Dan catches him glancing back and forth to the unconscious body and back at Dan rather frantically.   
  
Dan fumbles for the door, and eventually his hot palms reach cool metal and he lets out a quick sigh of relief as he grasps the keys and yanks them from the door. He takes them in his trembling hands and tries to find the keyhole for the fence.   
  
“Dan, hurry up, please,” Phil is begging with a wet sob. Dan’s trying his best to shove the keys into the lock but the small amount of moonlight isn’t offering him much help, and neither is the tremble of his hands.   
  
“I’m trying,” Dan whispers harshly as he reaches out and tries to find it with his fingers to guide the key into it.   
  
Just as he feels the tiny key shaped hole, he lets out a huff of air, a small wobbly laugh as they key fits slots in. He’s about to twist it and pull Phil through, when he hears a muffled shriek and he’s spinning back round to see Phil being dragged backwards; a bloody hand pressed tightly over Phil’s mouth as he stumbles in the man's grip.   
  
Dan feels his blood run cold, dropping the keys he lets out a cry.   
  
“Let him go!”   
  
The man continues to drag Phil backwards, back towards the car where in the fading headlights, Dan can see the glint of the abandoned knife left on the floor.   
  
Without hesitation, and fear fueling him, Dan runs, lunges at the pair of them and feels his feet fly off the floor, until his body is coming into contact with something, and for a moment they’re airborne until they land, hitting the water with a splash.   
  
Dan feels like he’s been under water for ever as they sink to the bottom. He opens his eyes and sees the man floating in front of him. Dan can’t see anything of Phil, and with a hard kick of his legs, he pushes himself to the top of the water where he finds air, as well as Phil peering over the side for him.   
  
“Come on, get up,” Phil cries as he holds a hand out for Dan to pull himself up out of. But just as Dan gets his grip on his hand once again, he’s being pulled back under, this time Phil still holding on, and the pair of them go flying into the pool.   
  
Dan feels his head come into contact with Phil’s, smacking hard against one another, and for a moment, whilst he floats downwards towards the bottom of the cold dark pool, his head feels fuzzy and light - but he quickly snaps out of it when he finds an unconscious Phil floating beside him. In a last effort of strength, Dan reaches out for him, pulling him up underneath his armpits towards the surface, but just as he gets his head above the water, he’s being pulled down again. Phil also slipping back under.   
  
Dan lets out a cry, water bubbling into his mouth as he feels himself getting yanked under again, until his eyes burn with the chlorine and his lungs fill with water. He tries to kick out again but this time the man has a strong grip on both his ankles, restricting him.   
  
His vision blurs and he can’t see anymore; can’t make out where the murdered is or where Phil is, but he flaps and flails his arms out in an attempt to get away.   
  
He’s running out of air in his lungs with each long passing second, and he guesses the man must be as well, because his legs are being pulled upwards and he’s being turned upside down, head smacking against the pool wall as he does so, letting out a cry as pain seers through his skull. Bubbles of air escape from his lips and his nose burns from where water gushes down his throat.   
  
He can’t breathe. He struggles again, feeling his strength and agility begin to dwindle the long he’s under the water, and just as he’s about to lose the battle of keeping his eyes open, he hears a grunt and a yell and Dan is once again being dragged along.   
  
He doesn’t even register the harsh scrape of floor against his naked back as he’s being hoisted out of the water, and when he opens his eyes it’s Phil. He has a streak of blood running from his eyebrow, but other than that he looks okay.   
  
“Get up, quick!”   
  
Dan doesn’t even have time to ask questions, and instead pulls himself onto his feet, stumbling a little as he coughs up little mouthfuls of disgusting warm pool water.   
  
They get back to the gate - Dan’s heart in his his throat, knowing that this escape has only brought more turmoil towards them. But maybe this could be their real escape.   
  
But the rev of an engine behind them proves no such thing. Phil is looking for the keys, cursing and swearing under his breath as he reaches to look for them where they must have fallen out of the gate keyhole in Dan’s panicked attempt to get Phil out of harm's way.   
  
Dan turns to see the truck still stuck between the fence, perhaps a little wedged outwards this time and Dan feels bile slick in his throat as he looks straight at the man sat in the front seat, his gaze forced dead set on the pair of boys struggling to escape.   
  
In the moonlight Dan can see the trail of oil that’s leaked from where the truck has broken through the fence, glistening wetly.   
  
Without thinking as the truck continues to rev and taunt them both, Dan takes Phil’s hand and pulls him into the hut.   
  
“Dan, what’re you doing?” Phil cries, and in here, under the small light bulb that hangs dimly, Dan can finally get a better look at Phil for the first time in ages: he’s covered in grass and dirt, hair wet and floppy and has blood running down from his brow to his chin. Dan doesn’t doubt he himself looks any better.   
  
“He’s got the truck, Phil. We won’t outrun him.” Dan tells him with a shaky breath. There’s no way that even if they get the key and get out and make a run for it, if he gets the truck going again, they’ll be caught up within seconds.    
  
Even if it’s underneath the wheels.   
  
Phil swallows thickly. “What are we gonna do then?” he asks with a scared voice.   
  
God, he’s so fucking scared right now.   
  
Dan swallows. “I dunno. There must be something in here? A radio? A weapon?”   
  
He goes to look around for something, anything, when he breath catches in his throat at the sight of the two bodies left on the ground.   
  
Around them, lays a pool of blood. Thick and red and Phil lets out a choked sob.   
  
“Oh my fucking god. I think I’m gonna be sick,” Phil says weakly and Dan tries to look away from them.   
  
HIs heart is going impossibly fast inside his chest, and he thinks it’s only a matter of time his adrenaline ends - he’s had a few encounters already tonight where it’d slipped away from him almost. But he knows the feeling won’t keep him going forever - not until this is all over.

And that’s when he spots the heavy tub of chlorine laying beside the bodies.   
  
It takes all of two seconds for it to all click inside of Dan’s brain, hatching a plan that’ll either work or not. Life or death; this was their last option.   
  
“Here,” Dan says going to grab it. “Help me with this.”   
  
Asking no questions, Phil does so, and the pair of them weakly lift the heavy tub of chlorine off the floor.   
  
The make it outside the hut, struggling a little when they see that they man had gotten the tires free of the tangled fence.   
  
Heart in his throat, Dan crouches down and tries to uncap the bottle. It’s stiff and won’t budge. He tries with all his might until his fingers grow sore and raw from where it pushes against his wet fingers.   
  
Phil tries, struggling with a few puffs of air, and the loud sound of the engine roaring gets their head snapping up. There in the windscreen has the man sat - blank stare at them both.   
  
Dan goes back to the bottle, trying his hardest to get it uncapped when he hears the crunch of tires against metal gates as it pushes through.   
  
Picking up speed towards them now, Dan tries again to get to cap off. His fingers shake with one last desperate attempt, and Phil is crying out to him, telling him it’s too late, as the truck skids towards them.   
  
Dan looks up, blinded by the headlights, giving the cap one final tug.   
  
It seems to happen in slow motion; the cap flies off in Dan’s hands, and as Dan gasps at the truck thats hurtling towards them, he stands on wobbly legs, before kicking the chlorine bottle on its side, watching the chemical spill out onto the floor, mixing in with water and blood.   
  
He hears the echo of Phil gasp beside him, and with one final act of bravery, Dan turns to Phil, looking him dead in the eyes one last time, before shoving him as hard as he can, watching his shocked body skitter across the floor before once more, hitting soft water.   
  
Dan stares down the truck as it races towards him, the little drip of oil still leaking heavily from the bottom, and as he drives across the puddle of chlorine, Dan see’s a spark, and closing his eyes and it gets closer to him, he holds his breath just as he hears Phil yell from down in the pool.   
  
Then, a booming sound flood his ears. His skin gets hot and he’s being flung backwards until his back smacks against the other side of the fence. He crumples to the floor with a groan, and once the ringing in his ears dies down, he hears the flicker of flames roar near him.   
  
Opening his eyes with a few blinks, he watches the truck, now burning from the inside out as fire takes over the interior, stretching across every inch of it.   
  
Dan scrambles hazily to his feet, head still spinning and mouth tasting like blood. He watches the truck for any movement before he catches Phil pulling himself weakly out of the water.   
  
Dan goes to help him, holding out a hand, and once Phil grabs on, he winces in pain.   
  
“You’re hurt,” Phil frowns once he’s been pulled upwards.   
  
Dan shakes his head, feeling like it’s stuffed full of cotton.   
  
“I’m alright,” he assures him, right now his burnt hand is the last of his issues, and they make their way carefully around the burning truck towards the gate.   
  
This time, with the tall flames they spot the keys on the floor and Phil snatches them up. Once they’re in the lock and the gate opens with a squeak, both boys give wet sounding laughs.   
  
They’re one step over the gate, feet touching mud and grass when they hear a strangled cry come from behind them.   
  
They spin around and Dan’s heart drops as he watches a flaming figure stumble out of the car. His entire body is licked with flames as he screams. He makes a blind run for the boys and Dan’s breath hitches in his throat as they stand there, watching him speed towards them, before Phil is pulling away for a second.   
  
It happens so quickly; one moment he’s charging towards them at full speed, and the next moment, he’s on the other end of a pool net. The end of the stick is lodged into the fleshy give of his tummy, and he gives a final sad gurgle, blood spurts from his mouth and he goes limp, Phil giving the pole a final jab until he slumped to the ground.   
  
Speechless, Dan turns to face Phil, who breathes heavily, brow knitted together and teeth gritted painfully together.   
  
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” he mutters under his breath, taking Dan’s hand and giving it a tight squeeze. Looking back at the carnage one last time, Dan nods, squeezing back.   
  
He doesn’t think he’ll be having many more pool days this summer, that’s for sure.   


**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on tumblr !! @watergator


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